WOOD-SWALLOW. 
than the back ; wings blackish-slate colour with a pale dot at the tip of some of the 
coverts, the second, third and fourth primary- quills white on the outer webs ; the 
tips of all the flight-quills have pale edgings ; tail black, all the feathers except the 
two middle ones are white at the tips which are narrowly fringed with black ; lores 
and fore part of the cheeks blackish-brown ; rictal-bristles and those of the interramel 
space black ; under-surface dusky-grey varied by smoke-brown, including the throat, 
breast, abdomen, sides of the body and under tail-coverts, somewhat darker on the 
last ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white ; under-surface of flight-quills grey, 
becoming darker towards the tips ; lower aspect of fail similar to its upper-surface ; 
eyes dark brown ; bill brown, yellowish on the sides and at the gape ; legs pinkish-slate. 
Eggs. Vary from three to four for a sitting, and frequently they are zoned with markings 
towards the smaller ends. A clutch of four is oval in shape, ground-colour of a 
yellowish-white, well spotted and blotched with umber and dull slate. Surface of 
shell fine and slightly glossy. Clutch measures 22 mm. by 17-18. 
Nest. An open and rounded structure, composed of thin dried twigs, grass and rootlets,, 
and placed from about 4 feet up to 30 feet from the ground, sometimes in a thick 
bush or in the naked forked limb of a tree, or on top of a stump, or inside loose- 
bark on the side of a tree. The lining consists of finer materials, and frequently 
thin rootlets are used for the purpose. Dimensions over all are 4 to 5 inches by 
2| inches in depth ; egg cavity, 2\ inches across by nearly 2 inches deep. 
Breeding-season. September to January. 
The recent unfortunate complications with regard to the scientific 
name of this bird, the “Wood-Swallow” of Gould and many others, will 
be best detailed after the account of its life history has been recorded. 
Consequently Caley’s notes, as recorded by Vigors and Horsfield, are- 
probably the earliest, and these read : “ It is called Wood-Sivallow by the 
colonists, but also Blue-Bill. I have occasionally seen as many of these birds 
flying about in some places as I ever did Swallows, which they closely imitate 
in their mode of flight. This occurred where the ground had been cleared 
and abandoned. Their resting places were on the trunks of trees which 
had been felled. I do not think them migratory ; if they are so, they depart 
for no great length of time.” 
Gould wrote : “ No species of the Australian Artami with which 
I am acquainted possesses so wide a range as the present ; the whole 
of the southern portion of the continent, as well as the island of Tasmania, 
being alike favoured with its presence. The extent of its range northward 
has not yet been satisfactorily ascertained, beyond the certainty that it has 
not hitherto been received in any collection from the north coast. It may 
be regarded as strictly migratory in Tasmania, where it arrives in October, 
and after rearing at least two broods departs again in a northern direction. 
On the continent of Australia it arrives rather earlier, and departs later ; 
but a scattered few remain throughout the year in all the localities 
favourable to their habits, the number being regulated by the supply of 
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